The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1887-03-17

Next to cold, compactmg rains Nn(
drying winds arc to be guarded against
How? First by keeping tho soil wei
filled with humus. Heavy rains canno
compact u new-ground. Second, by no
bringing up too much clay to the sur
face. If thin soil, with clay subsoil
must be deepened with turn pillow, il
should be done very gradually, only q
little clay brought up at one time; and il
is better if this be done just in advance
of small grain, instead of a crop which
has to be plowed and hoed. For thin,
poor soils the scooter (two-horsc) is de
cidcdly preferable to the turn-plow.
The manner Of covering tho seed
affects also tho crustinS Of the soil above
them. If the land is rolled, OF if the
seed is covered with board-which to a
certain degree congresses the soil like a
roller-an0 is thus left fiat, crusting is
much more apt to cnsuc, than if the seed
is covered with plow and the land left
lightly ridSed. Corn planted in n very
shallow drill and covered with II double
loot plow, making very small list or
ridge over it, is in better condition to
come up well than under any other mode
Of planting we know.
Opinion is divided as to the policy Of
planting corn in water furrow. The
greatest objection is tho filling Of the
furrow with water after heavy rains and
the consequent baking and hardening of
the soil when it dries off after water has
stood upon it. In q wet spring, it is
difficult to secure n good stand under
these circumstances, and the corn, when
quite young, is liable to be drowned out.
But these disadvantages, which are ad-
mlttedly great, are, we think, moro than
counter balanced by tho great case of
cultlvatlng the crop. The successive
ploughlngs cover up and kill grass with
ease and certainty, and ut the Same time
throw dirt to the corn about as fast us it
needs 1t. 1t renders possible also the
exclusive use OF the sweep or scrapo in
the cultivation of the crop, and this
carries with it, almost of necessity, shall
low culture, which is matter Of the first
Importance. Planting corn in the water
furrow also facilitates the application Of
manure around the corn, without the
necessity Of siding and possibly cutting
Its roots. Another decided advantage is
that the corn is laid by, with the surface
Hat and level, instead Of hciug ridgcd.
In our dry, hot climate this is also very
desirable. When the soil is thin, the
water furrOw must be corrcSDondingly
shallow; it would Iot be well TO plant
corn deep in the raw subsoil. Circum-
stances altcT cases, and sound Judgment
must be exercised about every operation
of the farm.
The question is often asked, what
manurcs arc best adapted TO corn? 81
compared with cotton, corn needs about
the samo substances with II somewhat
increased quantity OF nitrogen. Cotton
seed, t"t INSTANCE, = Ai1i l.:t! Al%@vS kull
. SIl IlII.. f1,ll 1
is by itself unSuitcd as IL fertilizer fo,
cotton, and nitrogen is the predominant
element OF cotton seed. But eXDcricncC
has shown that cotton seed is improved
as manure for corn by the addition OF
phosphate, showing that corn does not
need quite SO large proportion of
nitrogen to phoSphoric acid and potash rs
cotton seed contains. \ strictly cotton
manure is also improved, whCl intended
Tor corn, by the addition Of more potash
In furmUn s formula, for Instance
which is adapted to cotton ON medium
lands, the cotton seed and kainit might
DE doubled Tor corn on the same quality
OF land. Cow manure and ashes have also
proved an excellent fertilizer for corn.
But experiment has not succeeded us vet
III fixing as definitely the proportion of
ingredients in corn manure as it has in
that for cotton. Experiments made at
the North throw comparatively little
| light upon cOrn-grOwinB ut the South,
because from the prcdominancc Of grass
and grain crops in the former, the soils
OF the North arc much richer in organic
nitrogen than those of the South.
The winter killing of oats for several
years past has thrown dampCr on that
crop and erected attention rather more
to corn. But 1t is urged upon the reader
to remember that unless arrangements
arc made to work the corn crop with the
plow alone, it may prove a very cXpcn-
slvc crop. If upland corn is planted in
the water furrow, and this fuIrow is filled
up gradually lnOt all at OnccJ by success
slVc plCWin9S, and if bottom lands are
planted in checks, ii is possible, indeed
1t IS easy to cultivate crop with the
plow withoul the aid of the hoe. Start
ing the plow early and repeating the
plowings at short intervals is the Whole
secret. Such cultivation, with iudicous
manuring, will insure cheap corn. But
1nasmuch as the corn crop is moro or
less liable to be cut off by drought, it is
desirable, in making arrangements for
an ample supply OF provisions, to include
III ones programme more or less of the
larger grained SOrBhllnS like kailir com.
These wall make fair yields under cir
cumStancCS whore corn would utterly
iall, and our experience induces the be
!1cf that for feeding purposes their grain
Is nearly or quite as good as corn.
IhIS IS tho proper month for top
dressing grass and grain. \ little nitrate
OF Soda--say 30 pounds per ucrc-in
combination with phosphates, will often
produce marked change in their